liao 575late the Empress Dowager on the New Year’s Day of Feb.5. On Feb.1,
other envoys arrived to congratulate Jen-tsung on the New Year’s Day.
On the same day, four Sung envoys congratulated at the Liao court
(Liao shih 17:7b; Hsü Tzu-chih t’ung-chien ch’ang-pien p.971).
On Feb.10, 1030, Liao envoys arrived at the Sung court to con-
gratulate on the birthday of the Empress Dowager^110 (Hsü Tzu-chih
t’ung-chien ch’ang-pien p.971).
On May 15, 1030, Liao envoys arrived at the Sung court to
congratulate on the birthday of Jen-tsung^111 (Hsü Tzu-chih t’ung-chien
ch’ang-pienp.974).
On Jan.20, 1031, Liao envoys arrived at the Sung court to con-
gratulate the Empress Dowager on the New Year’s Day of Jan.26. On
Jan.21, other envoys arrived to congratulate Jen-tsung on the New
Year’s Day (Hsü Tzu-chih t’ung-chien ch’ang-pien pp.978, 979).
On Jan.22, 1031, two Sung envoys arrived at the Liao court to
congratulate on the birthday of Sheng-tsung^112 (Liao shih 17:8b).
On Jan.30, 1031, Liao envoys arrived at the Sung court to con-
gratulate on the birthday of the Empress Dowager^113 (Hsü Tzu-chih
t’ung-chien ch’ang-pien p.979).
On May 4, 1031, Liao envoys arrived at the Sung court to con-
gratulate on the birthday of Jen-tsung^114 (Hsü Tzu-chih t’ung-chien
ch’ang-pienp.981).
On June 25, 1031, Emperor Sheng-tsung of Liao died, aged 61.
He was succeeded by his eldest son. This was Emperor Hsing-tsung
(Liao shih 17:8b; 18:1a). He had not been born by the empress but
was raised by her. On his ascension, he had not yet reached majority,
being born in 1016. In a power struggle for the regency, his natural
mother proclaimed herself Empress Dowager^115 and contrived the
banishment and death of Sheng-tsung’s legitimate empress (Liao shih
18:71:5a-5b).
On June 30, 1031, the Liao Empress Dowager sent envoys to Sung
to announce Sheng-tsung’s death. This mission was received at the
Sung court on July 22. Jen-tsung and his empress faced north and
(^110) It fell on Feb.12.
(^111) It fell on May 18.
(^112) It fell on Mar.26.
(^113) It fell on Feb.2.
(^114) It fell on May 8.
(^115) She was also called the State Mother.